Beijing - Arrival Day

In my seven month stay in Hong Kong, I never had a real vacation. Sure I had almost scoured Hong Kong except Disneyland, but I wanted to do something that involves planes, hotels, map reading, and travel guides. The answer to my prayer? Annie and her 'rents to Beijing! I was very hesitant at first because the airfare is no joke. My travel agent (naks, "my" - I own him now!) originally offered me HK$4K, but eventually went down to HK$2,700.


I used Air China, and boy, I was never scared of flying in my entire life! Well, this is just the fourth time, so it really wasn't too credible. But read the story below so you can sympathize.



I came an hour and a half from my scheduled flight and I still managed to get a window seat. This is a very weird because as far as I know, flyers naturally go for the much reverred window seat. I was thankful nonetheless.
When the plane took off, reality kicked in. Parts of the wings are unscrewed and you can see them flapping every nanosecond. Also, as seen from this photo, a large portion has been rusting. You really wouldn't want to see it. Thus the window seat avoidance syndrome (I just coined it, so bear with me).

On a positive note, their food was great. Complete with rice and viand, salad, bread, dessert.

Odd story: They don't have a TV per passenger (duh, budget airline blsm), so I was stuck with the inflight radio. There are only three English stations. I did not like the other two, so I settled for the station that plays relaxing music. In my 3 hour flight, Sarah McLachlan's I will Remember you was played 5 times. That's half hour melancholy! Lord sign na ba ito?! Haha, anong sign?! Wala lang mapatugtog ang station, sign na agad!

We arrived at Beijing Intl Airport in one piece.

In the bus to BSU. We stayed at Beijing Sports University Dormitory Hall #8, specifically at Mang Sid's place, a good friend of Tita Lileth and Tito Pol, (Annie's cool 'rents). It's a three bedroom spacious apartment. Annie and I shared the warm room. Thank God!

I brought two Beijing travel books, which I never got to use. Hmmpp! Dagdag lang sa bagahe.


Is this a sheer coincidence or what?Our tour guide, a 23 year old Chinese Sports Medicine student and a protege of Mang Sid was celebrating his birthday on the day of our arrival (if you base it in the Gregorian calendar). We celebrated his birthday at a Peking Restaurant. The restaurant that we had gone to is incomparable compared to the Peking Resto's in HK. This is as good as it gets. Peking food in Peking!


Observation in Beijing: Public lights are a bit scarce. It's very different from HK and Macau. Lamposts are not so numerous and are of big intervals. In the hallways of the dormitory, the lights are sensor-operated, and will only work when somebody's coming. A good and inefficient way to use electricity I must say.


After getting drunk with Pekingnese food, we let Jiawei blow his bday cake. I can boldly say that this is the best banana cake in the world! - a specialty of Annie's aunt. Tita Lileth gave him two cakes. I ate almost half of HIS BIRTHDAY CAKE.

So much for our first day!

CNY

Best place to celebrate Chinese New Year?

Where else but China's capital. Beijing!

Woot! Woot!

I lurve fireworks. The way they light up the dark satin sky is just beyond words. The colors, the wooshing, the shapes formed - amazing!

Fireworks are invented in China 1000 years ago (I had to google this of course) and the legacy lives on!

Everybody is allowed to stage their own fireworks show everywhere. You cannot do this in HK. The government monopolizes fireworks and they only do the show at the Victoria Harbour.

And my friend said that they do this everynight in Beijing for the whole month of February. It's like a fairy tale come true.

Harhar!

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!

kafka on the shore

I just finished reading Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, the fourth novel I've read from this amazing author. The characters from his works are way out of this world, but share a very deep human showcast of emotions. I never get tired of his works even if I had to sacrifice consecutive sauna nights and stay until the wee hours of the morning. I'm hooked!

Calling quote suckers! Ponder on the memorable quotes that I personally selected from this remarkable novel:



ON LOVE

In ancient times people weren’t just male or female, but one of three types: male/male, male/female, or female/female. In other words, each person was made out of the components of two people. Everyone was happy with this arrangement and never really gave much thought. But then God took a knife and cut everybody in half, right down the middle. So after the world was divided just into male and female, the upshot being that people spend their time running around trying to locate their other missing half. – Oshima

Why does loving somebody mean you have to hurt them just as much? I mean, if that’s the way it goes, what’s the point of loving someone? Why the hell does it have to be like that? – Kafka

I want you to remember me. If you remember me, then I don’t care if everybody else forgets. – Miss Saeki

It’s easy to forget things you don’t need anymore – Nakata




ON LIFE

Most things are forgotten over time. Even the war itself, the life-and-death struggle people went through, is now like something from the distant past. We’re so caught up in our everyday lives that events of the past, like ancient stars that have burned out, are no longer in orbit around our minds. There are just too many things we have to think about every day, too many new things we have to learn. New styles, new information, new technology, new terminology…But still, no matter how much time passes, no matter what takes place in the interim, there are some things that we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away. They remain with us forever, like a touchstone. - Teacher


If I had to say anything it’d be this: Whatever it is you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting. – Oshima

In everybody’s life there’s a point of no return. And in a very few cases, a point where you can’t go forward anymore. And when we reach that point, all we can do is quietly accept the fact. That’s how we survive. – Oshima


Taking crazy things seriously – is a serious waste of time. – Hoshino

Pointless thinking is worse than no thinking at all. – Col Sanders (yes, the KFC guy!)

saint buddha pray for us

In time for Chinese New Year, let me share some photos of the largest outdoor Buddha statue in the world found in Lantau Island. I've been there a few times already, yet I still keep coming back. The view of the statue always gave me the feeling of being intimated yet able to reach out to the Supreme Being. Gets?! Ganon! Labo!

View from the Ngong Ping Skyrail Cable Car

Almost there




























A little sacrifice. I still haven't counted how many steps to the top. I was too freaking tired to even bother. Nobody said it was easy.

One word: GRAND

Buddha's goddesses

A little isolated temple seen from the statue

- the path to enlightenment -

Yes, this is still Hong Kong. ;)

My Eccentricities

Everyone's got idiosyncrasies. I have plenty of them:

1.) I read newspapers and magazines starting from the last page. I always believe that editors save the best news for last. The problem is I end up getting engrossed on the articles from the last pages that I get too tired to read the real headlines.

2.) I am a sentimental junk collector. Candy wrappers? Small notes? Restaurant receipts? I always wish to be reminded of the great and not-so-great things.

3.) I love being disorganized. Check my purse and flat. It gives me the feeling of being an important person -- somebody who doesn't have time to fix her stuff.

4.) I use swimwears as underwears. They are more comfortable! And I always have this thinking that I might go to the beach any day so at least I'd be ready.

5.) I cry whenever I hear "Lupang Hinirang". I also cry when I hear or watch any Filipino achievement in the news. Blame the nationalistic side of me.

6.) I hate touching any fur (faux or authentic) on anything worn by humans. Cruel! Cruel!

7.) I am a nerd! I love reading! Kahit labels sa shampoo pinapatos ko pag nasa banyo.

8.) I get a natural high when I'm surrounded by books. Sobrang suki sa library ito! I even won an essay writing contest about the importance of books and the joys of reading.

9.) I hate movies aboout poverty. Poverty already haunts us everyday. The precise reasons why you go see a movie are to be entertained and escape from reality. Give us our two hour break and make us laugh or feel mushy mushy or horny instead. Do not rip me off my hard earned money if you'll only make me heavy hearted.

10.) I am a potential lunatic. I laugh to my heart's content. I think that's the reason why I look like a walking dimple with a face.

11.) Every night I ask myself "What did I do for the first time?". Life is short. You have to do as many first's as you can.

12.) I am a hard core paranoid. A simple cough can make me cry for hours thinking I am going to die because of it, and I regret the times I did not spend my time with my family and friends. I picture my last words, last breath, and the people surrounding my deathbed. Creepy.

13.) I will always be in denial that Keannu Reeves is gay no matter what people say.


I'll add more.

first real attempt on macro photography

You want macro shots?

Of course I have macro shots!

Woot!

Courtesy of Po Lin Monastery

I admire these flowers for staying beautiful despite constant exposure to Chinese incense.

Have I ever said what made me like photography?

It may sound cliche but I am saying it anyway. It teaches me to be patient. Being an impulsive person, I easily jump into whatever my female gut feeling tells me. Photography balances that. It teaches you to wait for the correct angle and subject even if it takes forever.

Moreover, this hobby teaches me the most profound lesson in life (for me at least):

It takes only one shot to make it all worthwhile.

Looking Back: 2006

My colleague said that 2006 was a good year for those who were born on the year of the pig, myself included. She claimed that contrary to popular belief, it's a not-so-good year for you when it's your year. So you might as well grab all the blessings that come your way because when it will be your turn, fate will not be on your side. I am not a believer of astrology and horoscopes, but let me take this opportunity to look back and check if 2006 has indeed been an above average year for me.

Here are the things that I did in 2006:

* Swam in an almost freezing river

* Went spelunking, 4 caves in one afternoon

* Bungee jumped. It's one of the most thrilling moments of my life. Imagine having to conquer your fear of heights, control your bladder from too much nervousness, convince yourself that you're not hitting the roof, and keep from cussing because of the presence of children -- all in a rough 15 minute fast yoyo ride. Whew!

* Snorkelled & aqua biked in the middle of South China Sea

* Rode an airplane for the first time. And ALONE. I am a natural jetsetter. Haha!

* Went to Boracay. My social status is now elevated by a tinge. Sosyal na, pa-bora-boracay na lang. Haha! I am not so surprised why it's famous. It is indeed a beach lover's paradise. And being a natural but tame jologs, I never enjoyed seeing much celebrities in my entire life. The song "I knew I loved you before I met you" kept ringing in my head when I saw Borgy Manotoc and Marc Nelson, oh and Richard Gutierrez too! Fate will make a way to make you guys mine. Haha!

* Ok, call me whatever you like, but I always dreamt of lying on the sands of a clean beach staring at the stars and having sensible conversation with somebody. I can't believe I didn't do it with any of my ex's! Well we preferred doing other things back then. Anyway, good thing I did it with my two close girl friends last April, and I say it's worth the wait. It's still as magical as I imagined. Looking forward to doing it again.

* Braved a strong water current. Picture yourself in a hollywood movie with a bursting dam and you run for your life. Well not that scary but something to that effect. Kala mo naman... Haha!

* Went to Putipot Island, a small nice island south of Zambales. It is like Boracay without commercialism.

* Played with a gay guy's nipples 10 x a day. Nothing special. He's still gay.

* Turned down a scholarship to Spain. I had to. Waaah!

* Went to work overseas. I think this is the most important thing that happened to me in 2006. It started a new phase of my life - a phase filled with struggles and successes. And I never regretted it. I guess I never will. Bitches and assholes may abound and challenge me everyday, but what's life without them? They may say bad things to me every 5 seconds, but do I really have to care? Well they bother me at times. But when I fight back, it's really a breaking moment -- confidence at an all time high. A colleague yelled at me saying she hates me right to my face (she meant it, fyi), and I said plainly "The feeling is mutual".

* Went to China alone. Amazing Race should hold an "Amazing Race China". It's really a challenge to get by in China. I am sure it will be one hell of race. They do not speak English, not even their hotel receptionists. But my Chinese tiangge experience will always be memorable. I never thought that you can haggle by writing.

* Painted my very own plate! This was when I visited our ceramics factory. Guys, please be careful with the ceramics at your home. Producing a plate is really a laborious task.

* Bad experience: got interrogated by very unfriendly HK immigration officials. I opine that they are the most self-centered people in the world. They see themselves as gods prying on a helpless lowlife. My experience was like a dramatization of the local movies where policemen torture a suspect and make him admit something -- minus the big light.

* Lived in a standard ladies' dormitory. I used to call them "filthy and inhuman bunkers". I still do. (Sorry Dette and Reah!) But I'll never regret staying there for 6 weeks. It's where you form true friendships. Having the best roomies make you forget the filth and hopelessness.

* Tried Hotpot dining...in China

* Cried on a Nora Aunor song. Curse me! It's the natural sentiment of a Filipino expat. We're not called Modern day heroes for nothing.

* Realized that two hot people in a room all by themselves do not necessarily equate to a kiss then eventually make out like in movies. It's like one in a million chance! Believe me, I learned it the hard way. Or I'm just not slutty enough. Haha!

* Went sightseeing in Hong Kong. I do not have to enumerate them, do I?

* Went hiking with Chinese acquaintances. I braved the 2nd highest peak in HK. I will conquer the highest soon, I swear!

* Went EB with two PEXers. They are my good friends now. I used to believe that looking for a meaningful relationship online is for desperate people only. Well it can be dangerous, but if you know how to handle things, you can still meet interesting people.

* Skywalked Macau Tower. Refer to my previous post.

* Become a meantime girl for somebody who used to be yours. Pero ikaw pa rin ang mas mahal nya. Sad. But ending everything was one of the best things I did in 2006.

* I almost forgot the treadmill accident!

* Different types of yoga, jazzdance and meditation classes

* I can't believe I haven't mentioned yet about almost getting arrested by HK police! To make the story short: My window fell when I was closing it, caused damaged property, and almost killed somebody.

* Watched an International Ballroom Dancing competition. Such a bore. Give me back my 200 dollars!

* Ruined two phones in 5 seconds

* Saved enough money to shoulder my sister's and mother's trip abroad. I am broke now.

* Made a blog. I never liked writing. I was almost deprived of my grade school medals because I made senseless and bad sulating pormal and formal theme. Things change. Having nobody (physically) to share your experiences makes you a wanna-be writer.

I will edit my post if I remember more 2006 moments. Overall, it is a very good year for me. A few misfortunes came my way, but blessings outnumbered them.

So I'm fine if 2007 will be a bad year. It's just the 2nd week of January and I'm starting to feel the curse. Darn. But that's how life is -- sometimes you get your fair share, sometimes you don't.